His Fetish
by Defying Reality
Summary: ... You're no fun. You're not even wearing a disguise. I even took the trouble to prepare a uniform with your size...
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:

I do not own Pandora Hearts

For Jack did not steal the Queen's tarts

Read and review before you part

For they are treats to the author's heart

**Author's note:**

**Okay, people! I want to believe that I'm the only crazy one here who will think of something like that, but my rationality tells me otherwise. Hmm, so if no one thought of this before, then I'm crazy. Then if someone did, then I'm not rational?**

**What are you doing? Ignore me and read the story!!! And review!!!**

* * *

Walking down the corridors of his own mansion, Duke Barma calculates his next move.

He had just invited Yura to his villa. Now, to get the Vessalius Boy to his place… An idea hit him like the bright glare of a light bulb that was suddenly turned on in a dark room. The plan grew strongly in his favour the more he thought about it.

He slapped his closed fan into his other hand and come to a halt. Liam who was following closely behind jumped and froze in his steps.

Duke Barma tilted his head back to glance at him.

It was just a short glance, before he turned back and continued on his way, but Liam was sure… It was _that_ look again.

It had been for quite some time since Duke Barma started eyeing him with _that_ look. It had become more and more frequent these days and Liam did not know whether he should think of it as a bad thing. He did know what to think of it since…

… Duke Barma was always so weird.

Then again, he was not the only weird one around. Talk about a certain white-haired Pandora member… There is still Oz's uncle with a strange need to infiltrate his niece's school… the Rainsworth females, whether young or old, who are all skilled in the art of the paper fan and the knowledge of romance novels… the carnivorous humanoid Bloodstained Black Rabbit… and… and… Simply put, he was surrounded by weird people to the point of wondering whether he was normal himself. Okay, so maybe he is a workaholic, but… But!

That is not the point!

The point is…! Duke Barma had been eyeing him with _that_ look!

His inner ramblings distracted him greatly, so when Duke Barma abruptly stopped and turned around, he was so surprised that he yelped and fell on his behind.

"Go prepare four new servant uniforms." Duke Barma ordered, pointing the tip of his fan at him.

Liam perked up in attention.

"Are we bringing in new servants?"

"Temporarily. Go and get them made."

Slapping the fan back into his palm, he turned and continued on his way.

"Uh…" Liam stumbled back onto his feet. "May I know who are…"

With a flick of his hand, Duke Barma opened his fan and used it to cover the lower half of his face. Liam knew this without needing to see because it was Duke Barma's signature pose.

Duke Barma seemed to be pondering over something, as he turned to eye him for a bit, with _that_ look, then tilting his head away for a bit, then facing him once again to give him orders… Liam jotted down the instructions and details diligently… well, at least until he realized what he was writing…

"Wha-What!?"

Duke Barma ignored him and opened the door to his favourite room. It was a large room with huge windows and beautiful willowy curtains. The bright sunlight shone in, illuminating the room. In that room, there were high cupboards that reach the ceiling across the stretch of wall facing the windows. There was a sliding ladder, which allows one to open the glass doors of the highest shelves. On the red carpeted floor were smaller glass display cupboards.

Needless to say, this is where Duke Barma kept his whole collection of fans.

He comes here every once in a while, most especially when he feels discontent… occasionally selecting a fan of a different design to replace the one he had been using, perhaps to bring a change in mood…

Liam could only wonder what Duke Barma is upset about…

* * *

Getting the new servant uniforms made was not a problem. All he needed were their sizes and Lady Cheryl was very cooperative. It seemed like she knew what was going on…

Liam wished he knew what was going on as well.

The other task was much more of a headache. How do you let that same group of four know about Duke Barma's schedule without telling them outright? So, he gathered enough courage to leave his precious notebook on the table unattended and managed to be engaged by some passing low-ranking Pandora members who needed his help, but it would not have been half successful if Raven himself have not come by to peek at his notebook.

It seems that Duke Barma already knew that they would try to pry out information about his schedule…But still…

Why a maid's uniform!?

Perhaps it is just a prank that Duke Barma is playing on them. He had always been quite a prankster. Yes! That must be it! No need to put too much of mind to it!

With that, Liam went off about his duties once again. He is a very busy man after all. Moreover, he has responsibilities over Xerxes's paperwork as well.

Time to get to work! Get to work!

* * *

Duke Barma knew where the B-Rabbit and the white-haired clown were. Of course, they were in the next room, listening in to his conversation with Yura. He opened the door.

"Don't you think it's time for you to come out too?"

What he saw did not surprise him at all.

"… You're no fun. You're not even wearing a disguise. I even took the trouble to prepare a uniform with your size…"

"I'd rather not play your little games."

Yes, of course he knew. He who probably knew Liam inside out would of course know that the brunette would never make a mistake as to inadvertently let someone take a peek at his notebook.

"… I can't trust him either…" Duke Barma unconsciously spoke his thoughts aloud.

"Oz-kun realized it too, only… He decided to play along with you."

"Hmm…" Duke Barma wondered how he should get the B-Rabbit away so that he could speak to the Red-Eyed Ghost alone. "What about you, B-Rabbit? Don't you want to go back to your contractor?"

And besides, she was ruining his ornaments…

"I'm here to make sure this clown doesn't pull anything!"

Break gave an inaudible sigh. Alice may not know about his eyes, but Oz does, and he made it a point to keep a look out for him. Now, there is no need for such a thing, is there?

"Please go, Alice-kun. I think… Oz-kun might be needing your help soon."

Alice raced out of the room.

"Well… It's not like he'll get hurt. After all, that man… He's a passionate Jack Vessalius fan."

"Huh?"

Although he was slightly irritated that Xerxes Break was playing with his stuff, he let it pass. There were more important things that should be handled right now. It is not the time for private talk either. Yura, as he had expected, was freaking out the Vessalius boy.

"Well… we'd better put an end to this…"

In silent agreement, Break followed Duke Barma out of the room… and to the red-haired duke's annoyance, with one of his collection items balanced on his head.

* * *

"The three of you may go and speak with Yura. I wish to speak to… Kevin Regnard…"

They locked eyes.

"But Break…" Oz started, obviously worried about whether Duke Barma would attack Break when he was left alone with him.

"It's fine. I have something I wish to ask you as well, sir Duke Barma."

And so, they were left alone.

Duke Barma flicked his fan open and covered the lower half of his face. It was _that_ look.

Break had heard from Liam not too long ago that the idiot duke had been giving him weird looks, and whenever he does it, he would never show him his full face. It was either covered by his red hair when he looked back over his shoulder or covered by his fan when he is facing him. Break supposed that what he was seeing now… or rather… feeling his gaze with his gut feeling… was _that_ look.

Ugh… He could not even see the upper half of his face! How is he going to figure out the lower half of his face!?

'_Hey…'_

'_What is it Mad Hatter?'_

'_He's pouting.'_

"HUH!?"

Duke Barma tilted his head to the side, surprised by Break's sudden outburst.

"What is it?"

"No… nothing…" Break said, sitting down again with a hand covering his face to hide his face. He was on the verge of laughing out loud.

Duke Barma… pouting…?

Well, even though he will never admit it out loud, that idiot red-haired duke does have pretty facial features, and if you put a pout on that face, no doubt he will look very cute.

Ha ha! Duke Barma… with a cute pouty face…?

Oh no! He might really break out laughing!

Duke Barma wondered what was wrong with Break, but he let it pass. He might be feeling unwell. He had heard from Cheryl that he was not doing very well physically. Actually, he was sure he was not doing well mentally as well. He is a fearless knight, that Kevin Regnard, served the Sinclair family, became the Red-Eyed Ghost, killed 116 people, and now acts like a clown and calls himself Xerxes Break. In any case…

"Why…?" Break asked. "Why a maid's uniform?"

Break pulled out the pieces of clothing from behind him. Rufus Barma could only begin to wonder where he hid them in the first place.

"Ah yes…"

He had specifically asked Liam to get maid uniforms done for all of them, with exception to Gilbert Nightray who was too tall and would be immediately singled out to be a infiltrator. The B-Rabbit is a female and the Vessalius boy is pretty enough to be mistaken as a girl. As for Xerxes Break, he was very sure he could at least pass off as a very ugly old woman…

Really, he could not understand why, of all fetishes, he would… Ah, never mind…

"I knew you would not wear it."

To ask Liam to get a maid's uniform done for the white-haired clown was just a strategy to find out his size. He did not expect Break to wear it, but of course, it would be fun if he really did, so he left it with the rest of the uniforms in such an obvious place – an isolated rack in the changing room - there was no way they would miss it.

"Then why…" Break asked.

It was not that he could not figure out a reason why… but that reason was so scary, he did not dare to think it.

"…To make this." Duke Barma said, and opened a door to a walk-in wardrobe. There was a mannequin and on that mannequin was a beautiful dress of lavender and white – mostly lavender – complete with ribbons and lace. There was even a wig of long white hair provided.

"Wh-Why…?"

Duke Barma looked away.

"Because there is someone here who has a fetish for albinos."

Without his mind's consent, his mouth became agape. His eye was wide with shock.

'_Could it be…?'_

Break felt as though his mind was spinning… and spinning…

* * *

_'Lady Cheryl…'_

_'Xer-kun… Am I right to say that Liam had taken over your workload because you can no longer see…?'_

_'… Is Duke Barma upset?'_

_'Hmm… Because you and Liam are spending so much time together, Duke Barma could not help but feel a little… jealous…'_

**

* * *

**

Almost the entire chapter is with reference to Chapter 48. The last part is a flashback with reference to Chapter 46 where Xerxes Break was talking to Lady Cheryl.

**Yes, yes… I'm having way too much fun…**

**A Duke Barma with a cute pouty face and a collection of fans, a confused Liam, a worried Oz, a hinting Lady Cheryl, an albino fetish, a maid's costume, and a pretty dress! What else could go wrong for Xerxes Break!?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's note:**

**Duke Barma is so adorable! I love his hair! Xerxes Break is so naughty! I like him too! And the seemingly honest, straight-laced, and gullible Liam… Yes, I like him…**

* * *

Liam refrained from using his sleeve to wipe away the slick of sweat across his forehead. Really…

… Duke Barma was just plain weird…

Liam sighed as he recalled how he landed himself in this strange predicament…

* * *

Duke Barma had awoken very early in the morning. He had the other servants dress him. In the past, Liam used to help Duke Barma to get dressed as well, but that had stopped since that incident… The first time Oz Vessalius and co. came to visit… Liam wondered if it was because the duke was angry with him for getting in the way when he was trying to get to Xerxes.

He waited at the door until Duke Barma was ready and followed him out of the mansion and into the carriage. They came to town and stopped outside a shop. It was very rare that Duke Barma would step out of his mansion, and even more so, to stop outside a street shop. As instructed, Liam stepped out of the carriage and bought seven white roses. He quickly returned with the flowers. Duke Barma apparently wanted to hold on to them during the ride to his villa at Reveille.

How queer…

But it was definitely a sight to behold. The cold heartless Duke Barma gently holding the delicate white roses in his arms and staring out of the window, his scarlet hair dancing lazily to the wind…

While the red-haired duke stayed silent like this, Liam would have easily mistaken him for some romantic poet, deep in his contemplations of the world…

Before they even arrive at the villa's doorstep, both Liam and Duke Barma had gotten off the carriage. As the carriage drove off, Liam was still jokingly questioning if Duke Barma wanted to take a hike. He was of course more than just shocked when he saw the red-haired duke walking off towards the woods that lead to the villa without him and quickly ran up to catch up with him.

Liam had to admit, he was much surprised and impressed by Duke Barma's speed and agility in hiking through the woods – uphill – for he never would have thought Duke Barma as someone active enough to do something like that. He was already out of breath and yet Duke Barma seemed completely unaffected. Liam was sure that Duke Barma goes hiking on his own secretly at night… or maybe in the day as well, for no servant could be really sure that the Master Rufus they see is not an illusion…

Is this Master Rufus an illusion as well?

After a moment, Liam came to the deduction that this was indeed the _real_ Master Rufus.

In other words, he is _not_ an illusion.

Soon, they came to an old wooden bridge across a small river. The villa was finally in view. Good grief!

Duke Barma stopped in the middle of the bridge where he was shaded from the sun's glare by the huge branches of the old tree that stood at the other bank of the river. Liam took the opportunity to catch up to him. When he finally did, Duke Barma was giving him _that_ look again. The white roses obscured the lower half of his face.

"Umm… Master Rufus…?"

Without warning, his Master Rufus grabbed him by the material on his shoulder. Master Rufus was very good at manhandling. Soon, he found himself standing underneath the shades of the tree, except… he was facing the opposite direction of the villa.

Duke Barma pushed the bouquet of white roses towards him and he instinctively grabbed hold of it.

"Don't move. Stay there." Liam heard Duke Barma say as he walked away. "Until I send someone to look for you."

"Master Rufus-!" Liam started, panicking.

"It's your punishment."

Punishment? What punishment? Wait! But why? What did he do? What have he done wrong?

"Master Rufus!"

A gust of wind blew. Silence followed and he knew that he was alone. Duke Barma had left him here in confusion to serve his so-called punishment…

* * *

Liam sighed as he braved the heat of the midday. He may be standing under the shades, thanks to the grace of his Master Rufus, but he cannot escape the heat.

He dared not disobey Master Rufus's orders, especially since Master Rufus was upset with him.

As he stood there, his mind started to wander. Easily enough, he found himself contemplating his Master Rufus's weird ways…

Liam heard that Duke Barma recently ordered a wig of long white hair. It was one of the weirdest things that he had ever done, aside from the maid uniforms…

White hair…? Hmm… The first person that came to his mind when it comes to white hair is…

Wait a minute!

He had been _very_ suspicious ever since Master Rufus ordered him to make the maid uniforms…

He had secretly harboured the thought that Master Rufus wanted to see either of the two males in a dress, although it could be just another one of Master Rufus's pranks. It was very possible… but how do you explain the weird looks that Master Rufus had been giving him? Well, it is true that he does spend a lot of them at Lady Cheryl's place and if Master Rufus does fancy one of them, it is also possible that he might be jealous and overreacting… It is very like him to do that.

After that, Liam had entertained the thought that Master Rufus might have some kind of fetish for little blonde boys, but… a white wig?

Liam looked down deep in thought. It took him a moment to realize what he was holding.

White roses!

Liam recalled how Master Rufus gazed out of the window while possessively clutching onto the bouquet of white roses like he was lovesick… Very soon, he was imagining Master Rufus lovingly stroking the wig of white hair…

It couldn't be…!

"I… I must tell him! Before it is too late!"

He turned only to be frozen by what met his sight.

Like an unearthly creature, not of this world, half-glowing even during the descent through the green fields of the human realms… wearing a dress of white and lilac… Moon-kissed hair swaying gently to the wind… walking towards him… then stopped and looked at him…

"Mister Liam?"

Hey, wait! He recognized that voice.

"Xer-Xerxes!"

Without realizing it himself, Liam pushed the bouquet of white roses into Break's arms. Though slightly surprised, Break instinctively reached out to hold them. He blinked questioningly at them, then gave an amused smile.

"Xer-Xer-Xerxes! A-Are you all right? M-Master Rufus! Did Master Rufus…! Umm… Did he… Did he do anything!"

"Oh," Break smiled. "He has been very kind."

Liam promptly fainted.

* * *

**Well, this chapter is for Liam who was left out entirely from the previous chapter. **

**The truth behind the truth is in the next chapter… which should be the last chapter. Yup, it should be a rather long one, but I won't know until I've written it.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: **

**Duke Barma sure acts strange under the influence of Lady Cheryl…**

* * *

"Well, don't keep people waiting!" Rufus Barma gestured towards the changing room.

"Ah…?"

Duke Barma pressed his fan against his lips while he stared at the bewildered Xerxes Break.

Could it be that he had not known about _it_?

Perhaps…

After all, he had quite a difficult time trying to accept _it_ himself…

But now is not the time to be dilly-dallying!

"Don't be wasting the day away!" Duke Barma said impatiently. "That useless servant of mine is going to suffer from heat stroke if you continue to take your time! Not that I am unable to find someone else to replace him, but I would prefer it not to have a servant eating into the Barma household expenses, especially when he is already useless enough…"

The rest of Duke Barma's complaints did not register in Break's mind.

Then realization hit him… It felt similar to being hit by a speeding carriage…

"Hurry up!" Duke Barma rushed him.

Although Break was still very much taken aback by everything, he obediently entered the changing room. He figured that he should just play along. After all…

Duke Barma _is_ trying to be nice…

* * *

'_Now, Ruf, you can tell me why you were playing mean tricks on them…'_

_Rufus pouted behind his fan._

_Cheryl took a sip from her teacup. Ah, it was the tea set that Rufus always instructed the servants to use whenever she came over to visit. _

_Rufus was still stubbornly pouting behind his fan. Really…_

_Perhaps she should induce some reaction through her evil glare… Let's see…_

'_**Ruf**__…'_

'_Why? Why must it be __**that**__? Of all things! He had to-!" Rufus blurted out._

'_Now, now, Rufus, calm down." Lady Cheryl spoke gently to her dear childhood friend._

'_But-!'_

'_Rufus…'_

'_He had an __**albino**__ fetish! An __**albino**__ fetish! Why? What is so good about people with __**white**__ hair and __**red**__ eyes? I don't understand! I don't understand at all!'_

'_An… albino fetish? Who has an albino fetish?'_

'…'

_Lady Cheryl gazed endearingly at Duke Barma, who was cutely pouting behind his fan again._

'_That useless servant…'_

_'Ah… Liam… Now, why would you think that Liam has an albino fetish? That couldn't be true…'_

'_Well, why else would he step out in front of him when I was trying to confront him! And even after he found out that he was the Red-Eyed Ghost, he disregarded it and still treated him as a friend! He even offered him his coat! And-!'_

_While Rufus was busily muttering incoherent mumblings - about his inability to understand, how he wanted to kill that useless servant and that clown of an albino… - a smile formed of Cheryl's face. _

_Oh, dear, dear Ruf…_

'_Now, Ruf…'_

* * *

"East gate. Down the hill. A river. The wooden bridge."

The albino nodded at the vague instructions and went Liam-hunting. Duke Barma had apparently gauged his skills and deduced that he should be able to find his way through the villa even in his near-blind state.

Not failing Duke Barma's expectations, Break managed to find that wooden bridge. And indeed, Mister Liam was there, waiting for him…

Liam had been muttering something to himself when he suddenly turned around to see him walking towards him. It was strange that Liam had stayed quiet and made Break wondered if it was really Liam… since the brunette always loudly pronounced his name every time he appeared in front of him…

Ah, but that's because he never used the doors!

"Mister Liam?" Break called out, a little uncertainly.

"Xer-Xerxes!"

Liam pushed a bouquet of roses into his arms. He could tell by the smell.

"Xer-Xer-Xerxes! A-Are you all right? M-Master Rufus! Did Master Rufus…! Umm… Did he… Did he do anything!"

"Oh," Break could not help but smile in amusement. "He has been very kind."

Oh, poor Mister Liam…

He instantly fainted.

"Really, Lady Cheryl…" Break sighed. "Who is the _real_ prankster? You or Duke Barma?"

* * *

'_After all, Liam is one of his favourite servants…'_

'_Lady Cheryl, what do you mean by…?'_

'_Ah, there is nothing to worry about, Xer-kun… I've convinced him that he should be more gracious… Hohoho~!'_

* * *

Back in the Rainsworth mansion…

"Oh, I heard from Ruf that they are going to his place today…" Lady Cheryl told a servant. "Ohohohoho~!"

**

* * *

**

I just love how Duke Barma thought that Liam has an albino fetish while Liam thought that Duke Barma was the one with the albino fetish… and how Lady Cheryl was behind all this… This is after all a tribute to Lady Cheryl!

**Sorry to those people who support RufusxBreak! Please feel free to imagine how Duke Barma accidentally develops an albino fetish after he saw Break in the dress he prepared. **

**If anyone here is into LiamxBreak, you may also believe that Duke Barma's intuition had been very sharp to notice Liam's slight preference for Break but the brunette have yet to realize it himself! **

**And if you're into RufusxBreakxLiam… You guys know what is self-service, right? I don't need to explain. Lol.**

_

* * *

_

Young Cheryl confidently walked across the ballroom after a dance. The cheerful voices of a group of ladies caught her attention.

"_Aww! He's so cute!"_

_She turned to see a familiar pouting redhead, clearly upset with the ladies who cooed and fussed over him. _

"_Ruf!" She called out to him._

_Her voice perked his attention._

"_Cheryl!"_

_He walked up to her… and away from those annoying ladies…_

_Cheryl smiled._

"_Well, although you are younger than me by a year, you are clearly taller than me – so yes, we may dance!" Cheryl announced loudly and patted Rufus on the head._

_Laughter filled the ballroom._

_Young Rufus twitched in anger and embarrassment…_


End file.
